Patrice Jégou - Founder

 

Patrice Jégou's interest in a self-directed career path prompted her to establish Prairie Star Records LLC. Patrice has a background in Classical music, but doses of popular influences like jazz, gospel, and blues have always been part of her performing career. A native of Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, her singing has taken her to Spain, the UK, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, the US, and, of course, Canada.

 

Patrice holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Mason Gross School of the Arts - Rutgers University. Upon graduation, she was awarded the Irene Alm Memorial Award which is given to an outstanding graduating doctoral student for excellence in scholarly research and performance. Patrice also holds a Master of Music degree from Belmont University in Nashville where, upon graduation, she was presented with the Most Outstanding Graduate Student Award in the Department of Music. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Calgary in Canada. All of her degrees are in Classical vocal performance. She is the recipient of numerous scholarships and other awards.

 

Over the years Patrice has taught at the university level and privately; has done two residencies at the Banff Center for the Performing Arts; received a teaching internship scholarship through NATS (National Association of the Teachers of Singing); has entered and won international singing competitions  (Laureate, XIII Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques, [Théâtre Lyrichoregra, Montréal] chosen through audition to represent Canada in Orvieto, Italy in the XII Concorso Internazionale per Cantanti Lirici Spazio Musica; First Place Winner, IX Concurso y Festival Internacional de Canto Lírico Trujillo, Perú);  and has collaborated and recorded with many artists and composers. 

 

Patrice is a voting member of The Recording Academy (GRAMMY® Awards), and CARAS (Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences - The JUNO Awards). She was a Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 GRAMMY® U Mentor, and has again been selected to be a GRAMMY® U Mentor for the Fall of 2022. This is a program that connects "college students with the industry's brightest and most talented minds, [and] provides aspiring professionals with the tools and opportunities necessary to start a career in music."

 

Patrice's 2022 NATS (National Association of the Teachers of Singing) National Conference Session Proposal entitled "Own Your Own: How to start your own independent record label and plan, produce, market, release, and promote your music” was accepted for the 57th NATS National Conference in Chicago in July 2022.

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Patrice's debut album SPEAK LOW was released on May 6, 2014, followed by IF IT AIN'T LOVE which was released on March 22, 2019. She is a two-time INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARD winner. In 2019 she won the Independent Music Award for 'Best A Cappella Song' for "Lover Come Back to Me" feat. Mark Kibble and Alvin Chea from Take 6. The awards ceremony took place on June 22, 2019 in New York City at Symphony Space. In 2020 she again won the Independent Music Award for 'Best A Cappella song' for "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" featuring Take 6. The award was delivered virtually due to Covid-19. Patrice released her third album THERE'S A LIGHT on August 20, 2021. 

 

Patrice continues to study voice privately and is a student of Justin Stoney (New York Vocal Coaching) with whom she has studied since 2015. She recently completed the 50-hour Voice Teacher Training Course offered by Mr. Stoney and his team at New York Vocal Coaching. She currently studies piano with Shambhavi Mishra (Pittsburgh). Patrice is a retired professional figure skater, having coached in New Zealand, the US, and Canada, and having skated in an ice show for Richard Porter Productions, Las Vegas and Hermanos Fuentes-Gasca, Mexico City. She currently skates for fun and is a member of The Skating Club of Boston.

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Please visit Patrice's music page at patricejegou.com to learn more and listen to her albums, or visit patricejegou.lsnto.me/theresalight to stream her latest project THERE'S A LIGHT.

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Dr. Jégou-Oyelese is Associate Professor in the Voice Department at Berklee College of Music in Boston.